Clean re-install from with Vista Ultimate?

Various things went wrong---all attributable to me--- with my upgrade from XP
Professional to Vista Ultimate, leading to a system instability and 45+% use
of 2 GB of RAM, slow loading of IE7, and Windows LiveOneCare Firewall
supposedly not turning on (but probes of my ports show them all to be
"stealthed").

So, what I would like to do is stick the Vista DVD in while in Vista, format
my HD, and to a clean install.

Possible and, if so, any directions?

Thanks,

Ron